Report: Kevin Noreen Visits UW; Mike Ladd Transfers to WSU

Kevin Noreen(right), Mr. Basketball in Minnesota, is one of the last prizes of the 2010 recruiting class and according to a couple of recruiting sites the 6-foot-10, 190-pound forward visited Washington and Washington State this weekend and scheduled a trip to Oregon.
The Huskies have a spot available on the roster, however, coach Lorenzo Romar said he’ll likely save the scholarship for next season. Many believe Noreen has skill and talent, but lacks the athleticism to play UW’s up-tempo style.
He could land in Pullman or with Oregon, which also has room on the roster.
Noreen set the all-time Minnesota prep scoring record at Minnesota Transitions Charter, a Class 1A school in Minneapolis. He averaged 38.6 points, 16.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.2 blocks last season, however, because he didn’t play in the big-school division he wasn’t highly rated nationally.
Rivals.com rated him a three-star recruit.
Still, Noreen reportedly had 20 scholarship offers and signed with Boston College in the early signing period in November, but asked for and got a release when Al Skinner stepped down as the coach.
If Noreen signs with a non-ACC school he would eligible immediately. If he signs with an ACC school, he will lose a year of eligibility and must sit out one season.
Noreen visited Northwestern, Marquette and Providence. He has scholarship offers from those schools as well as Boston College, Colorado, Oklahoma, St. Louis, UTEP, Duquesne, Virginia Commonwealth and Washington State.
According to the Herald-Times, Noreen has drawn significant interest from Iowa State and he said California and Florida offered to take him if he would go to prep school for a year.
“That isn’t for academic reasons — Noreen and MTS coach John Sherman say he carries a 4.0 grade point average — but because those schools are out of scholarship space,” according to the Herald-Times.
Noreen reportedly scored 36 on the ACT.LADD TRANSFERS TO WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State coach Ken Bone promised to make a concerted effort to pull recruits out of Western Washington and for the second straight year he signed a Rainier Beach High star. Last year it was Reggie Moore and this year it’s Mike Ladd, who will transfer from Fresno State and will be eligible for the 2011-12 season.
Two notable players (5-11 guard Chris Morgan and 6-5 wing Will Dilorio) have chosen to walk on at Washington State, according to Cougfan.com. Morgan averaged 16.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 assists and 1.5 steals per game at Union High while Dilorio averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.5 steals per game for Bainbridge High.SUNDAY LINKS:
— Bud Withers caught up with athletic director Scott Woodward talked about expansion and the Pac-10. “I accept it as, you’re running with the big dogs now,” Woodward said. “Competition gets harder and harder, but it makes you better and better. The thing I fear most is the status quo. Status quo, in the long term, will kill us.”
— Apparently, Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott is in Texas making a sales pitch to Longhorns officials about why they should leave the Big 12.
— Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe is making a last-ditch effort to keep the conference together, according to Orangebloods.com.
— Jerry Brewer talked to UW coach Lorenzo Romar about former Husky Nate Robinson. Romar said: “Young people talk about ‘keeping it real.’ For Nate, keeping it real is, ‘I’m gonna have a smile on my face as I compete to take you out. I’m gonna enjoy beating you.’ ”